Mail-bag-delivering device.



No. 7|3,362. Patented NnvQn, |902.

.1. swlHAnT.

MAIL B-AG DELIVERING DEVICE.

(Appleation tiled July 28, 1902.)

(No Model.)

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0 mmc/he mg, Qfwa UNITED STATES EATENT OFFICEo JAMES SW'IHART, OF NEW LEBANON, OHIO.

MAIL-BAG-DELIVERING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 713,362, dated November 11, 1902.

Application led July 2S, 1902. Serial No. 117,317. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES SWIHART, a citizen of the United States, residingin New Lebanon, in the county of Montgomery and State of Ohio, have invented new and useful lmprovements in Mail-Bag-Delivering Devices; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The invention relates to a mail-bag-delivering device, or more particularly to a mail-receiving device,to be permanently located near the side of a railway-track, in combination with an interdependent device to be attached to a railway mail-car.

The invention has for its object the provision of a mail-bag-delivering device whereby mail-bags may be delivered from a moving train to a stationary receptacle located near the side of the railway-track and by which the transaction may be accomplished with certainty and precision and with a minimum of time and labor devoted thereto.

Another object is to provide a mail-bag-delivering device which will be simple in character, compact in form, positive in action, easily operated and maintained, and capable of a wide scope of usefulness and eficiency.

Another object is to provide a mail-bag-delivering device which will be automatic in its action and in which means are provided whereby the mail-bag after being delivered from the train will be safely and securely housed and protected from the weather and from depredations; and still another 'Objectis the provision of a new article of manufacture in a mail-bag-delivering device which can be manufactured and sold at a comparatively low price.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will appear from the following specification and from the drawings forming a part thereof.

By means of my improvements the movements and operations of the dierent parts of the invention are easily, automatically, and quickly controlled, and the operator is ena- 5 o bled to accomplish the objects sought with certainty and precision and to time such movements with exactness without any supervision other than that required to place the mail-bag in position.

The invention consists in a mail-bag-delivering device embodying certain new and novel features and details of construction and relative disposition of the several parts, as hereinafter particularly set forth, illustrated in the drawings,andincorporatedin the claims terminating this specification.

In detail the invention relates to a mailbag-delivering device substantially as shown in the accompanying drawings, in Which- Eigure l shows a side elevation of my invention in connection with a cross-section of a railway mail-car. Fig. 2 shows a rear elevation of my invention. Fig. 3 shows a top plan of the same.

Similar letters and gures of reference denote and refer to like parts throughout the several views.

The letter A designates a cross-section of a portion of a mail-car in order to show the attachment and the relative location of my invention therewith.

B represents a railway-rail, and C represents the track-ties.

l designates a swinging arm which is adapted to extend out from the side of the door of the mail-car, where it is pivotally secured by the hangers 2 and 2'. Secured to the outer end of the arm l is a metal supporting table or plate 6, preferably of circular form, and loosely pivoted to the said plate G and arm l by means of a pivot-bolt 7 is the mail-bag-supporting finger 8, said finger being pivoted some distance from its inner end 9, which lies iiat upon the supporting-table and serves to retain the parte in perfect alinement. The outer end of the supportingfinger is bent or curved downward, as at 10, to facilitate the insertion of the ring 1l of a mail-bag. A spring-plate l2 is secured at one end 13 to the upper face of the supporting-Enger 8 and has its forward portion tapering upward, as shown, and then bent downward at 14, so as to form a shoulder, which rests upon the supporting-finger near its outer end. The extreme end of said IOC spring-plate 12 is bent upward and outward, as at 15, in a direction opposite to that of the end 1O of the finger 8, so that these two parts form a daring mouth for the ready and easy insertion of the ring 11 of the mailbag. I have provided a tension-screw 16, which is tapped through the plate 12 and linger 8, as shown, to regulate the pressure of said parts with reference to each other. A more detail description of the mail-bag holder is fully set forth and shown in a patent secured by me, dated October 4, 1898, No. 611,801, entitled Mail-bag holders, said parts being not only adapted for use in connection with the invention shown in said patent, but is especially adapted for use in connection with my present invention. Pivotally mounted by the pivot 2O to the plate 6 is an arm 21, hinged at 22 and supplied with a handle or grip 23. The arm 2l is adapted to slide in and out in a slot in the plate 24 and to be locked in its extended position, as shown, by the lug 25. When the arm 2l is drawn into the car bythe handle 23, the hinge 22 will allow the handle 23 to hang down at right angles to its former position. By the above it is apparent that the mail-bag holder can be extended at right angles from the car, as shown, or turned at right angles to said position in order to enter the door of the car orlie parallel with the side of the car.

30 represents a box-like receptacle at the side of the railway-track B, preferably secured to extending ties O, said box being provided with a door 3l, said box being open at the top and provided with outwardlyiiaring sides 32 and 33, forming a mouth. The top edges of said iiaring sides 32 and 33 are of a height sufficient to allow the lower end of a mail-bag H to clear them when the mail-bag H is suspended from the finger 8, as shown Extending upward from the rear of the box 30 is the support 34, which is an integral part of the box 30, the upper end being of a height slightly below the finger 8 of the holding device. Secured to the support 34, of same height and width, and extending out on a line with the front edge of the box 30 is a double elongated U-shaped member 35, which I term the detaching-block,7 formingthe concave oppositely-disposed mouths X and Z, of a horizontal width substantially that of the thickness of the box 30 and of a vertical length substantially the same as the length of the support 34.

In operation the various parts are constructed and arranged substantially as shown. The clerk in the mail-car prepares the mailbag designed to be delivered to a certain station, where one of the stationary parts of my invention is located, securing the ring 11 of the mail-bag H on the finger 10, as shown. The handle 23 is then lifted up and pushed outward until the lug 25 engages the plate 20, as shown, when the inail-bag will be in a position for delivery. The mail-car passing the stationary part of the invention at the side of the track the mail-bag will enter one of the mouths Z or X, depending on the direction in which the car is moving, which will withdraw the mailebag from the holder and it will drop down into the box 30. The person authorized to have charge of the mail-bag may unlock the door 31 and remove the mail-bag from the box. It is apparent that in whichever direction the car may be moving the operation will be the same.

Myinvention is perfectly adapted to accom plish the results and objects for which it is intended, and it is evident that changes in and modiiications of the construction herein shown and described may be made and that analogous parts may be used to accomplish the same results without departing from the spirit of my invention or sacrificing any of its many advantages.

I wish it understood that I do not dedicate any part of my invention to the public and that I desire adequate andj ust protection for every feature of the invention herein shown and described that is new and useful and which involves invention.

Having now fully shown and described my invention and the best mode for its construction and use to me known at this time, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. In a mail-bag-delivering device, the com bination with a mail-car, of an arm pivoted to the side and adapted to swing out from the car, said arm carrying a mail-bag-holding device adapted to be swung out from or swung to the mail-car by an arm 21 and a handle 23 and adapted to be secured in an extended position by the lug 25 formed on the under side of the arm 21, of the plate 24 for guiding .the arm 21 and for engaging the lug 25, of the box 30 provided with a door 31 in its rear wall and with iaring sides 32 and 33, of the support 34 extending up from the rear of said box 30 carrying the double-U-shaped member 35, of the member 34 extending up from the top of the box 30, to which it is secured, all substantially as shown and described and for the purposes set forth.

IIO

2. In combination with a mail-car and a mail-bag-suspending device extending therefrom, of a receiving device located at the side of the railway-track, consisting of a receiving-box 30 provided with an upward-flaring mouth, a support 34 extending up from the rear of the receptacle, a door 31 located in the rear of the receptacle, an elongated double- U-shaped detaching-block secured to the support 34 and adapted to engaging a mailbag suspended from a moving train and guide it into the receptacle 30, all substantially as shown and described and for the purposes set forth.

3. The combination of an inclosed iiaring open-top receptacle secured at the side of a railway, an integral support rising from the rear thereof, a doub1e-Ushaped detaehingl Ih testimony whereof I affix my signature block 35 provided with opposteiy-dsposed in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses. mouths X and Z secured to said support, ris- JAMES SWIHART ing to the top thereof and resting on the top 5 of said receptacle, and a door opening into Witnesses:

said receptacle, al1 substantially as shown R. W. RANDLE, and described and for the purposes set forth. R. E. HANDLE. 

